Most people think it takes the right education, the right coach, the right internship, or the right opportunity to be successful. I disagree, I think it’s the fundamentals, the basics, the easy things done right that set you up for success.
The Art of Manliness agrees with me in their recent blog on the Myth of Scarcity: “There are tons of people doing what you want to do, but how are they executing? In 90% of cases, not as well as they could be. What’s missed is that it’s often doing stupidly easy stuff that’s going to allow you to make friends and land your dream job. It’s doing the stupidly easy stuff that almost no one else is doing that can most readily set you apart from the pack, and up for success.”
The blog goes on to list some of these “stupidly easy” things. I’m going to cherry-pick a few that are more applicable. The first is proofread your texts and emails before sending. This is a simple way to leave a good impression. Second, know how to make small talk. Most people sound impressive behind a screen but are awkward and uncomfortable in person. Master this art.
Third, don’t be a conversational narcissist. In other words, learn how to listen instead of hijacking a conversation to talk about yourself. Just listening and asking questions can make you come off as charming. Fourth, put your phone up during a conversation. Making people feel important enough to devote your full attention is also very charming.
Fifth, offer a sincere apology when you mess up. People these days somehow can’t say “I’m sorry.” Recognizing your flaws and owning up to them is very endearing. Sixth, follow through. Millions of deals are broken every day because people don’t follow through. Finally, be reliable. Showing up on time (or just showing up), meeting deadlines, managing expectations, not overpromising, prompt responses and keeping your word are all part of being reliable.
The blog summarizes, “If you couple talent and skill with reliability, it’s stupidly easy to dominate your competition and your niche. Setting yourself apart isn’t complicated or hard; it often involves simply doing the stupidly easy stuff that everyone else overlooks.”
Let me summarize this in terms of ranching: What is the most exhausting thing a rancher does? I would say calving out cows/heifers around the clock. How could you simplify this? How about providing guaranteed calving ease bulls? Simple, right?
PCC® covers the fundamentals better than anyone else in the beef industry. That’s what sets us apart and allows us to help you be successful.